MetricEden, NCElon, NC
Population15,35611,032
Median Household Income$47,260$84,773
Median Rent$799/mo$2,080/mo
Median Home Value$120,700$366,300
Cost of Living (US = 100)9393
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income52.5%69.5%
Poverty Rate19.2%20%
Unemployment Rate4.2% (county)3.9% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k44853
Property Crime Rate /100k2,131528
Median AQI38—
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs87°F89°F
Winter Lows28°F32°F
Snowfall5 in/yr2 in/yr
Avg Commute24.9 min20.1 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher15.315.5
College Degree Rate11.9%51.5%
Foreign-Born %3.5%3.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+0.6%+0.2%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.